Water Cooler – Health and Safety

Your water cooler will provide you with clean, purified drinking water; however it is up to you to keep the actual device in a clean and safe environment and to ensure that the water cooleritself does not become a hazard in anyway, whether you are using it at home or in the office.

It is recommended that you keep the drip tray of your cooler clean. Ensure that no water is left in the drip tray over a period of time; this will prevent any unpleasant smells that could result from stale water. This is an easy task which will take just a few minutes and. You will need to remove the drip tray from thewater cooler which is a simply a case of sliding it off. Once you have clean the tray, be sure to connect it back on to the water cooler correctly to avoid any mishaps once the machine is operational again.

The average water bottle for cooler weighs 19kg’s, and lifting this incorrectly could cause serious damage to your back. Try to bend your knees and keep your back straight when lifting the bottle, as opposed to simply bending over forwards to pick it up. Placing the strain on your legs is a much better practice than having that strain on your back.

With regards to placement, whether in an office or in a home, the water dispenser should be in plain sight, and away from a toilet. It is also important to note that it should not obstruct a doorway or entrance in any way; if you need to exit the building in an emergency situation it should be easy to do so. Make sure that the electric cord is also out of the way and does not pose as a hazard which could be tripped over. Cable clips or hooks, for example, could be used to secure the cord to the wall rather than having it lie across the floor.

As long as you take care of your water cooler, it will take care of you. Keeping it clean and handling it with care and caution will not only benefit your health and safety, but it will also increase the lifespan of your cooler.